Taipei launches Wenshan public housing construction

By Mo Yan-chih / Staff reporter

Thu, Jul 18, 2013 - Page 4

The construction of Taipei’s latest public housing project in Wenshan District (文山) was launched yesterday, which on completion will provide 272 apartment units to city residents as part of the city’s plan to provide a total of 8,000 public housing units to address skyrocketing property prices.

The Ankang D-area public housing project, which is scheduled to open for applications in 2015, is situated on the site that originally housed the Ankang low-cost housing units for low-income families.

In presiding over the groundbreaking ceremony, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said the city aimed to turn the old housing units into a new residential complex with access and facilities for the disabled.

“I promised to provide at least 4,808 public housing units in Taipei and we are now planning to offer 8,000 units. We expect our policy to make life easier for young people in the city,” he said.

A second and third phase of construction will be launched at the site in the near future, offering a total of 3,300 units.

Ruentex Group chairman Samuel Yin (尹衍樑) promised that the group will complete the construction on time and ensure the quality of the units.

The monthly rent for the units is to be about 30 percent less than the average market price in the area. Taipei residents under the age of 45 who do not own property, as well as low-income families, will be eligible to rent the units.

The city has completed the Dalongdong, Dunhuang and Wanlong residential buildings since the public housing policy was launched.

More public housing units will be built near MRT Xingtian Temple Station, as well as around Xianse Temple and Xindian MRT stations, which are both in New Taipei City (新北市).